Rattie first to reach 50 career WHL playoff goals as Winterhawks make Memorial Cup

KRISTEN ODLAND, Calgary Herald05.12.2013

Portland Winterhawks star Ty Rattie of Airdrie celebrates his hat-trick goal against the Edmonton Oil Kings during Game 6 of the Western Hockey League final on Sunday night. Portland won 5-1 to advance to the Memorial Cup as Rattie became the first in league history to reach 50 career playoff goals.

EDMONTON — As timing would have it, Shauna Rattie’s annual spring getaway trip to Palm Springs, Florida, lands right in the last weekend May.

But thanks to Sunday afternoon’s recent developments — a 5-1 Portland Winterhawks win over the Edmonton Oil Kings in Game 6 to capture the Western Hockey League’s Ed Chynoweth trophy — she’s going to be late.

Because now, like her son Ty Rattie and his Winterhawks, the Rattie family is scrambling to plan a trip to Saskatoon for the 2013 Memorial Cup championship.

“I think my friends will be OK with it,” she said, grinning, outside a jubilant visitor’s dressing room at Rexall Place where parents and fans let out huge cheers as, one by one, the group of happy players emerged. “That was huge. I’m beyond excited for him. Just to see their faces; they’re a tight team, they’re so close.

“It’s so exciting.”

But exciting, likely, doesn’t even begin to describe the feeling for the Airdrie native, her husband Rob, youngest son Taden, and a total of 30 family members that were present to watch one of the most dominant performances in Ty Rattie’s hockey career.

With a hat-trick, including two back-breaking first period short-handed goals that did the Oil Kings in early, the St. Louis Blues prospect became the first player in WHL history to score 50 career playoff markers.

He was named the game’s first star and series MVP in what was, probably, his last WHL game as the 20-year-old is expected to turn pro next season.

Exciting also, likely, doesn’t describe what it’s like for his team to finally hoist the WHL trophy after coming up short twice in the last two league finals, including the disappointment of losing to the Oil Kings in 2012.

On top of it, the championship comes in spite of heavy sanctions the league slapped the Winterhawks with in November for player-benefit violations. As well as being fined $200,000 and losing a handful of future bantam draft picks, Portland received a season-long suspension of general manager and head coach Mike Johnston, who was not permitted to be with the team as it won its first league title since 1998.

Rattie, Portland’s second overall bantam pick in 2008, has basically seen it all since his first WHL season in 2009-10.

“It seems like yesterday he was 15 and going to Portland,” Rob Rattie said. “To be quite honest, they weren’t very good back then, so to see him build with the team . . . it’s been an extremely fast five years. It’s gone by quickly. They leave as a 15, 16-year-old that can’t even drive and come back as men.

“You only see your boy once every month, so it’s tough.”

However, his junior career isn’t over yet.

Portland now joins the Halifax Mooseheads, host Saskatoon Blades, and awaits the Ontario Hockey League champion (Game 7 goes between the London Knights and the Barrie Colts on Monday).

Their first game is Saturday against potential No. 2 and No. 3 2013 NHL draft picks Nathan MacKinnon and Jonathan Drouin and the rest of the Mooseheads.

However on Sunday, the Winterhawks were in full-celebration mode.

“Unbelievable,” Ty Rattie said, grinning. “I’ve had the time of my life in my junior career, with these guys. This year, to finish it off.

“It’s something I’m never going to forget.”

His performance, too, will likely go down as one for the ages.

Rattie’s first goal came 4:28 into the first period, courtesy of Nic Petan who’d picked the pocket of Martin Gernat behind Calgary Flames prospect Laurent Brossoit’s net — a wonderful one-timer, early into Chase De Leo’s four minute high-sticking infraction to knot the score 1-1.

Then, with three seconds left on that penalty kill, he zipped in around the net and tapped it in on wrap around. Rattie netted his hat-trick marker — another feed from Petan — late in the second, with a handful of chances that followed including a partial breakaway late with less than five minutes left in the third.

“I’m speechless,” said Rob Rattie. “Ty’s seen the disappointment so for him and Portland to win, it’s awesome. It’s an awesome organization and they played like a team all playoffs.

“A few minutes after, everyone was talking about how to get to Saskatoon.”

Truth be told, however, the performance capped off one of Rattie’s best WHL seasons.

Missing a handful of games after cracking the 2012 Canadian world junior squad, he netted 48 goals and 62 assists for 110 points in 62 regular season games. Then, in the post-season, he notched 20 in 21 games including his hat-trick in Game 6 and added 16 assists for 36 points.

And, frankly, Sunday was the best Mother’s Day present any junior hockey mom could ever ask for.

“He sent me a tweet and a text in the morning, saying Happy Mother’s Day and told me how much this meant to him,” Shauna said. “I just felt like he was going to do it. It’s just an amazing way to go out. They’ve worked so hard and had such great teams along the way. Such a great organization. They so deserved it. To go through their obstacles this year . . . it’s just amazing the way they pulled together so tight.”

ICE CHIPS . . . Also off to the Memorial Cup is Calgary Flames-signed pick and Portland defenceman Tyler Wotherspoon . . . Including an assist in Sunday’s Game 6, he netted two goals and had eight assists in 21 playoff games and was a plus-10 . . . Calgary native and Portland forward Joe Mahon was a healthy scratch on Sunday.

Comments

We encourage all readers to share their views on our articles and blog posts. We are committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion, so we ask you to avoid personal attacks, and please keep your comments relevant and respectful. If you encounter a comment that is abusive, click the "X" in the upper right corner of the comment box to report spam or abuse. We are using Facebook commenting. Visit our FAQ page for more information.

Share

Rattie first to reach 50 career WHL playoff goals as Winterhawks make Memorial Cup

Almost Done!

Postmedia wants to improve your reading experience as well as share the best deals and promotions from our advertisers with you. The information below will be used to optimize the content and make ads across the network more relevant to you. You can always change the information you share with us by editing your profile.

By clicking "Create Account", I hearby grant permission to Postmedia to use my account information to create my account.

I also accept and agree to be bound by Postmedia's Terms and Conditions with respect to my use of the Site and I have read and understand Postmedia's Privacy Statement. I consent to the collection, use, maintenance, and disclosure of my information in accordance with the Postmedia's Privacy Policy.

Postmedia wants to improve your reading experience as well as share the best deals and promotions from our advertisers with you. The information below will be used to optimize the content and make ads across the network more relevant to you. You can always change the information you share with us by editing your profile.

By clicking "Create Account", I hearby grant permission to Postmedia to use my account information to create my account.

I also accept and agree to be bound by Postmedia's Terms and Conditions with respect to my use of the Site and I have read and understand Postmedia's Privacy Statement. I consent to the collection, use, maintenance, and disclosure of my information in accordance with the Postmedia's Privacy Policy.